Tag
by Dreaming-Of-A-Nightmare
Summary: It's funny how a game of tag can both lighten the mood and make a few unknown feelings arise. .:. Zukaang drabble based off of a short scene from 316.


**A/N: So I was re-watching some Avatar season three episodes for the hell of it, and when I got to Southern Raiders, I thought of a random, cutesy Zukaang moment. It's a bit silly, but hey, I wanted to write it anyway, mainly because Zukaang is beating all of the other pairings listed in my Avatar poll on my profile. XD**

* * *

Following a rather stressful morning and a long ride throughout the afternoon to escape a crazed Fire Princess, it was nice to settle down around a fire and eat dinner. Everyone was very determined to return to normalcy, despite the fleeting thoughts of worry over the adults and friends they had to leave behind during the escape.

With an uncharacteristic sigh, Aang sat down cross-legged and looked around his fellow benders and companions. Each of them sported a half-forced smile, save for Katara, who still refused to accept having Zuko among them. But he didn't see what was the big deal; Zuko was a nice guy, beneath it all. In a way, Aang has known this all along.

In fact, just this morning, hadn't Zuko saved the waterbender from being crushed? That just proves it! But that same ex-prince had foolishly ran after his sister a moment later, to "hold them off". Aang hadn't liked that. He had been afraid of losing his firebending teacher and new friend, and he nearly _had _ended up losing him.

But they're all safe now, on some island in the middle of the sea surrounding the Fire Nation.

"Wow, camping. It really seems like old times again, doesn't it?" he said to lighten up the mood. Aang always had been the person someone could count on for a hint of sunshine.

Zuko played along. "If you really want it to feel like old times, I could, ah… chase you around a while and try to capture you," he joked with a half-smile, a piece of food inches form his lips. Everybody (again, save for Katara) burst out laughing.

"Haha, very funny," Katara said sourly before walking away with her dinner.

"Don't mind her, Zuko," Sokka stepped in to say. "She's just –"

"Miss Fussybritches," Toph finished for him. "It's in her nature to be the motherly, grumpy sort. She'll get over it."

"Yeah," Aang said with a nudge of his elbow in Zuko's shoulder. "Give her time. In the meantime, I think I'll take you up on your offer."

"What off–?"

But before Zuko could ask, Aang was jumping up and pushing the older boy lightly as he called out, "Tag, you're it!" and scurried away.

The others around the fire laughed and watched as Zuko (who was never one to dismiss a challenge) proceeded to scramble off the ground and run after the teasing airbender.

Aang found his spirits lifting right up as memories of the same game being played at home came to mind. But this was more fun, because when he was young, everybody at home could use airbending to run faster or dodge tags. Zuko, however, can't. And while the ex-prince called Aang's maneuvers cheating, the bald monk was entertained, and couldn't help but laugh. He felt bad, though, for his disadvantage, and thought that his friends watching would get bored unless the game changed.

So he let himself get tagged.

Zuko tagged him with a tackling leap that didn't hurt, but felt odd as he was pinned beneath the older male. "I got you," Zuko smirked. "Now you're it."

And as Zuko began to run away, Aang found himself flushing a bit for reasons he couldn't express. Then he ran after Zuko, thinking that Sokka must have at least one smartass remark to add to the situation.

And the boomerang-user didn't let him down. He hollered from his place beside Suki, "Look, guys! For once, the pursuer is the one being perused!"

Aang laughed, because it was true. "I'll get you, Prince of the Fire Nation!"

"Not in a hundred years, Avatar!"

Grinning mischievously, Toph decided to help. "Hey, Sparky!"

"What?" Zuko asked as he ran past the blind girl.

"It's payback time for burning my feet."

And as she said it, Toph tripped Zuko with a rock she made pop out of no where, and within second, Aang was hopping onto his sifu's back. "I win, Sifu Hotman."

Zuko put his chin in is hand and blew air out his mouth. "Yeah, yeah. Touché and all that. Now can you get off of me so that my food doesn't get cold? You've had your fun."

"Aw, I don't think Zuko likes losing," Suki giggled from over by the bonfire. "Let him up, Aang. I think he's suffered enough."

Laughing, Aang flew off with a burst of air and offered a hand to help his teacher up. But when their hands connected, the airbender felt his face flushing again, and in the flickering shadows of the distant firelight, he swore that he saw a similar streak of color tint Zuko's own cheeks.


End file.
